The Singer And The Servant
by OhTex
Summary: A series of Much/OC one-shots from series two to the end of series three...and beyond!
1. Tavern Trouble

A/N: Hey all! So these are going to be predominantly Much/OC one-shots with hints of Robin/Marian and Djaq/Will. I'm not sure how often I'll be able to update these but I've got a few planned already. There will be elements of Much/OC/PrinceJohn too but more about that later! Also, I WON'T be following the series exactly...Marian won't die because – let's face it – that was silly!

* * *

><p><span>Tavern Trouble<span>

"Come on, Robin! It'll be good...we can all let our hair down and forget old troubles!" Allan pleaded to Robin whose mind was firmly focussed on other, and frankly more important, matters as he stared into the fire, planning, as the gang sat around him.

"You mean forget that you betrayed us?" Much piped up, bringing Allan crashing down to earth. Allan sighed.

"Listen, I'm sorry. I said I'm sorry, didn't I? I've made up for it, haven't I?"

"I suppose." Much said grouchily. Despite the world of difference between himself and Allan, Much had come to think of him as a friend and Allan's decision to join forces with Gisborne had hurt.

Allan sighed again. "C'mon, Robin! What d'you say, eh?"

Robin looked around the camp and at each member of his gang. They all seemed exhausted and drained and Robin included himself in that. Perhaps they could do with a night off before the next few months of danger began for them.

"Alright, Allan. Which tavern is she playing in?"

* * *

><p>The gang arrived late at 'The Lion's Claw Inn' that evening, glad for the dusk that had fallen, leaving a pleasant, light heat in air. They took the back entrance to the tavern, wandering with their hoods up. Though as soon as they entered, they lowered their hoods, realising that the tavern was full of criminals and tax-dodgers. To Much's disgust, he realised this is now the sort of crowd they fitted into.<p>

They found a small booth in the right corner, just tucked away enough to be private but not so distant from everyone else that they aroused suspicion. No sooner had they all sat down, Allan clapped his hands and said,

"Right! Who's for drinks, then?"

Four flagons of ale later, Much was feeling very mellow. Very nice, really. Why had he thought drinking was so bad in the first place? Actually, he gazed around at his surroundings, where was he?

"Robin? Where are we?"

The gang, who had all been gossiping about their fellow tavern members, erupted into laughter. Much was confused. Was it not ok to not know where he was?

"We're in 'The Lion's Claw' tavern, Much." Robin said, still chuckling.

"Are we really? Why are we in a tavern?"

"We're watching, Aoife sing remember?" Allan, chipped in, tearing his eyes away from the tavern girls. "Honestly, Much! We've only been here an hour and you're steaming! It's always the quiet ones."

Before Much could give him a response, there were loud cheers from the rowdy, muscular thugs at the front of the tavern. The gang craned their necks to see what they were cheering about. From behind them, Aoife emerged, grinning as she winked at them and clambered onto the small wooden stage at the end of the tavern.

"Hello, everyone!" She called as several men as climbed up with her, all clutching instruments. "Thank you so much for coming to see me. You know I love trying out my new songs here before I perform them to a bigger crowd and you lot always treat me right."

There was more raucous cheers from the men at the front and Aoife laughed.

Suddenly, Much felt very indignant. How dare they leer at her like that? She was a woman! She was a talented, pretty woman who, frankly, didn't deserve thuggish men leering at her. Much stood up so quickly, his chair clattered to the floor. Everyone around him looked at him, confused but the men carried on cheering and exchanging banter with an enthusiastic Aoife.

"STOP!" Much bellowed. Everyone in the tavern fell quiet and looked at him. Aoife's eyes widened, she hadn't noticed them sat in the corner.

"STOP THIS RIGHT NOW!" Much continued, his hands in the air. Will tugged on Much's tunic, attempting to pull him back into his seat but to no avail. "THIS HAS GONE ON LONG ENOUGH!" He gestured to the men, who were all glaring at him, angry that Aoife's show had been disturbed. "YOU...YOU...YOU THUGS HAVE TO BE STOPPED! YOU ARE BEING VERY DISRESPECTFUL!"

The man stood the front stepped forward, muscles bulging under his shirt. "I don't see Aoife complaining."

Aoife tried to cool things down. "Much, really, it's fine! All of the tavern shows are like this! It's fun! Really – "

"NO!" Much continued to bellow. "NO IT IS WRONG! YOU BRUTES NEED TO BE STOPPED!"

"Brutes?" The man repeated, his eyes narrowing. "Thugs?" He strode over to Much and the gang hastily stood up to protect him. The man glared at them. "Fine. I'll leave him. But if he says one more word..." He looked at each of them in the eye before backing off.

"Swine." Much mumbled as the gang sat back down. The man froze before tearing back towards Much, grabbing him by the shirt and hurling him against the wall. Much fell against it with a thump and said, "Frankly, you're merely proving my point about you and your cohort being thugs." Just then, a large fist crashed into his stomach and Much was winded. Another crashed into his face before Little John managed to heave the man off him and the man returned to his friends, glaring at Much as he went.

"Right! Out! All of you: OUT!" The tavern owner bellowed. "OUT! We're closed!"

"Oh, Much! You're a fool! A loveable fool but still a fool." Aoife said as she dabbed Much's split lip with some wet cloth. He winced as the fabric made his lip sting.

"Sorry." He said, thickly. "I was just..." He trailed off, too tired to finish the sentence and still under the influence of the ale.

Aoife just laughed and Robin heaved Much back onto his feet as he and the gang lingered on the edge of Sherwood Forest. "Come on then, Much my drunken old friend. Bed for you, I think."

They all turned to leave except Will who said, "Sorry we ruined your performance, Aoife."

She waved his apology away. "Oh, it's fine. Stuff like this happens all the time!"

He nodded and bade her farewell, following the others into the forest.

Aoife made her way back along the path until she came to her family home. Just as she was about to enter, she saw something move out of the corner of her eye. A man stepped into view, shirtless and grinning. She sighed.

"You shouldn't have done that, Jim. He's a friend who just had too much, that's all."

He shrugged, not bothered. It was just another night for him. "So...what are you doing now your show's been ruined."

She badly contained a smile, knowing what he meant. "Not sure. What were you thinking?"

He gazed at the Grattan family home. "I see you mother and father have gone to bed."

She hesitated for only a second before saying, "I suppose you could stay as long as you're quiet."

She began leading the way up the path before he grabbed her hips and whispered in her ear, "Only if you are."

She shivered and her pace quickened, desperate for them both to get inside. But even she climbed the stairs, Jim's firm body behind her, her mind kept flicking back to the servant who had tried to help her, despite being outnumbered and outmuscled.

* * *

><p><em>I hope that was fun to read! Please leave a review...they encourage me to write more!<em>


	2. Goodbye

**A/N:** This one shot is the darkest RH one I've done (I promise it'll get cheery again!) but I think it was only fitting for the events of the story! Well, I hope you enjoy it nonetheless.

Huge thanks to **Musicunderground** for reviewing that last one!

* * *

><p><span>Goodbye<span>

And just like that, they're gone. Aoife barely has time to say goodbye to them, her close and dear friends, before they leave for the Holy Land. She doesn't fully understand why; from fragments of overheard conversation she hears Marian's name and the King's.

Robin tells her she shouldn't come and see them off on their trip but she does anyway. She doesn't want them to go; her friends – her true friends not just men she picks up from taverns – are all she has in Nottingham besides her family. She knows it will feel so much darker and colder without them there.

She hugs each of them goodbye.

Robin seems preoccupied and eager to get going; he doesn't really listen when she wishes him well. She doesn't blame him, they all know of his love for Marian and his desire for peace. Will hugs her warmly, reassuring her that they'll be back soon; "_Before you know it"_ he says. Aoife notices he's holding Djaq's hand. The Saracen woman pulls her into a hug with the sort of affection only female friendships can create. When Djaq pulls away, she's smiling but there are tears in her eyes.

Allan's next. He gives her a cheeky wink and says he'll miss her; his attitude laidback as usual. But when they hug, Aoife feels genuine affection and sadness between them. They part and he winks again and this time she can see emotion in his eyes.

Little John practically picks her up as he bear hugs her. She'll always be fond of Little John; he's a gentle giant who keeps Robin focussed. A man of few words, he just gives her a nod and a pat on the head.

And then there's no avoiding it.

Last is Much and she has been dreading it. The others are clambering into the boat, making sure food is packed and water is stored. Much waits next to her as they watch. Neither of them say anything, both caught between wanting to pour out their hearts and remain silent. Aoife isn't sure what to do; she knows she needs to say goodbye to him but she desperately doesn't want to. If she says it, it's like admitting he really is going. To her surprise, she feels Much put his hand in hers. She squeezes it and he squeezes back. It's now or never. He'll be gone for months, maybe years and if she doesn't speak now, she'll regret it forever. She turns to him and opens her mouth but the only thing that comes out is a wail of sorrow.

He smiles sadly and, at last, they hug. She hugs him a lot tighter and for a lot longer than the others. The rest of the gang pretend not to be watching from the boat but Aoife knows they are. She finds that she doesn't really care. Just before they part, she whispers something in his ear.

* * *

><p>That first night on the boat was somewhere between hell and hilarious. As Much lay down on the wooden floor as best he could, Allan's boot hitting him in the ear occasionally, he settled on calling the day on the boat <em>hysterical<em>. Both meanings of the word fitted the trip perfectly. He lifted his head a little, and to his surprise, saw everyone was asleep. He envied them. He knew he wouldn't get any sleep tonight. As he lay on his back, gazing at the velvet sky scattered with stars, Aoife's last words to him played over and over in his head.

_I will wait for you._

* * *

><p>Thanks for reading and please leave a review...they keep me going!<p> 


	3. London: Part One

A/N: Hey all! Sorry it's taken so long to update this fic...I've been so caught up in other stories and essays. As you can see by the title, this is a two part section and (fingers crossed!) the next part should be up fairly soon.

This is the first hint at Aoife/Prince John relationship that I previously wrote about so I hope you enjoy that element of these stories (but fear not it will always be an Aoife/Much series!)

Thanks to **M****usicunderground** for reviewing the last one shot!

* * *

><p><span>London – Part One<span>

London was the same as it had always been; dirty, smelly and loud. And Aoife was happy to call it her home. She had left Nottingham the week before, unable to deal with how quiet it was with Much and the others away in the Holy Land. So she had decided to travel to London and do some performances to take her mind off it. But it only succeeded in bringing back old memories that Aoife had worked hard to bury.

As soon as she had arrived and settled back into her London home, she had been inundated with requests for performances, songs and lessons all of which she was greatful for. After two days, she was so submerged in work, she barely had time to consider anything else and that had been fine by her. But on her third day in London, she had received a request that had shaken her to her core.

Prince John was travelling down to London after spending nearly a year in the North and his advisors were intent on staging a show to welcome him back home and they had sent a note to Aoife asking her to perform in the show. Usually, Aoife would have been happy to – she may not agree with the country's current leaders and their views but she would be paid well for it and it kept up her facade as an ally; rather than a supporter of Robin Hood. But Prince John was a different matter. She didn't just disagree with him, she _loathed_ him.

She had never told the gang, but she had worked for the Prince five years ago when her father was very ill and the Grattan family was very low on money. So she had heard about a servant's job at a Lord's house in London and hurried over to the house to apply...

_It was the sixth of April 1188 and Aoife Grattan was applying for a job as a maid; the money she was getting for her job at an up- market tavern in the heart of London during the evenings just wasn't enough. She knew that leaving London and their home for a smaller, quieter one would be beneficial to her purse and her father but she couldn't. Aoife found it hard to leave London and the house. She knew that being sentimental wouldn't help either of them but – after spending most of her childhood moving from one place to another with her parents, this was her first real home and she didn't want to leave it._

_Her father had fallen, not too hard but she had still been concerned and called the physician. They had managed to put Thom back into bed but Aoife knew she was too late to get this job. She swore as she strode down the road towards the grand looking house. She had heard that a rich man had recently moved in to the empty house on the outskirts of London and that there were jobs as maids and servants going there. As she raised her fist to knock the door, it burst open and a middle-aged woman burst out, a man behind her. They ignored Aoife completely and continued talking. _

"_Well, thank you." The woman said in a breathless voice. "I knew I had a good chance of getting a place, but that last job! That truly is luck!"_

_The man smiled and kissed her hand. "It is a pleasure. You knew, surely, that you were to get a place? I promised you as much and his Lordship has been so generous."_

"_Is that true? The last job has gone?" They turned at this intrusion, eyebrows raised. The woman looked her up and down._

"_I'm sorry?"_

"_The last job? It's gone?"_

"_Yes." The man sneered. "So sorry."_

"_But that's not fair!" Aoife exclaimed, shocked by the injustice of the situation. "You promised her a job? What if I'm a better worker?"_

_He looked at her. "I doubt that. If you wanted a job so badly, you should have arrived on time."_

"_What? Excuse me? Do you have any idea why I'm late? I have to look after my ill father! He had a fall this morning and there is no one else to help him. So before you start judging me, I suggest you consider the situation."_

"_Well, I really don't…" He trailed off, looking behind Aoife at the open door. "My Lord. I'm so sorry for this disturbance."_

"_No, no. Don't worry yourself, Stephen."_

_Aoife turned to glare at the man in the doorway. He had auburn hair that fell gracefully into his green eyes and a slight smirk on his face framed by facial hair. She scowled at him as he leaned casually against the door frame._

"_And who are you? Keep out of this. It's none of your business."_

"_I'm afraid it's everything to do with me. You are applying for a job here, yes?"_

"_Yes." Aoife replied curtly. "And you still haven't answered my question."_

"_If you are applying for a job, I suggest you come inside and apply for it."_

_Aoife made a face. Did he take her for a fool? "As I understand it, you have already given away your last position." She turned and glared at the woman who had taken her job._

'_Have I really?' He raised an eyebrow. 'And who told you that?'_

"_He did."_

"_Ah. Well Stephen presumes far more than he should." He approached Aoife and she took a step back, still a little apprehensive. He paused then finally said, "I suppose you're right; there's not much point in you coming in." He crossed his arms and stood no more than a foot away from her. _

_She huffed, confused by his sudden change of mind. "Hang on, so I can't have a job? I can't even apply?"_

_He gave a throaty laugh. "I didn't say that." He eyed her up and down and grinned. "I want you to have a job. There's no point in you coming in."_

"_What?" Aoife and the other woman said in unison._

"_I like you. Work for me."_

"_And who exactly are you? A Lord with more money than sense, I imagine."_

_He laughed again and began to walk back to the house. "Who am I? Why, I'm your new boss, of course."_

_She watched him leave, his smooth voice still echoing in her ears. She felt a firm hand on her shoulder and the man – Stephen – pulled her around._

"_How dare you! How dare you speak to him in that manner!"_

_Aoife made a face. "I don't even know who he is. How am I supposed to know how to talk to him? Who is he?"_

_He almost shook with anger. "That was Prince John."_

...And there had been so much more, so much more drama and laughter and anguish between them. But Aoife told herself that now wasn't the time to think of it. Now, she just had to get ready to sing a welcome to someone she absolutely despised…just to take her mind off somebody she absolutely adored.

* * *

><p><em>Thanks for reading and please review...I love reviews like Much loves banquets!<em>


	4. London: Part Two

A/N: An update quicker than usual! I'm proud of myself! I'm happy to say this will be the last of the slightly darker chapters as thing'll pick up after this...

**_HUGE_** thanks to the wonderful **Musicunderground** for her lovely review!

* * *

><p><span>London – Part 2<span>

_Two months later: A Show to Mark the Homecoming of His Royal Highness Prince John._

Aoife could hear the cheers, the shouts, the excited babble of the waiting crowd and twitched her leg nervously. If she was honest, she wasn't anxious about the large crowd waiting for her to sing, she was anxious about whom she was singing for.

A servant passed her a drink and she took it with a false smile as she sat below the built up stage, out of sight. Her maid, Anna, hurried over to her and immediately began tightening Aoife's already close fitting dress.

"There's a large crowd out there, milady. They all can't wait to see you."

Aoife smiled and took a long swig of her wine. "How...how does Prince John look?" She tried to sound casual and it seemed Anna was convinced that Aoife meant nothing more than a simple enquiry.

"Oh, he looks very handsome, milady. He's sat up on the balcony on the side of the stage on his throne. Looks very regal."

Aoife just nodded and took another drink. She needed all the courage she could get right now. Inside, she seethed. _Curse you, Robin! Curse you and your loyalty to the king and Marian!_

* * *

><p>The performance wasn't long; the organisers had only paid her to perform two songs and, thankfully, the crowd was so enthused to see her they kept her distracted from the royal presence she knew was to her right. She didn't look over there, she <em>couldn't<em>, or goodness knows what she'd do; either lose her place in her song or hit him. Most likely both.

If only his mother was sat next to him, that would of at least make Aoife a little more comfortable. The Queen Mother had always been so kind to her when she had visited her youngest son in London.

Aoife had never felt such a strong sense of relief when she took the steps down from the stage and out of sight. She let out a huge breath of relief and Anna immediately hurried over to her again, this time to loosen the laces. "Oh, that was wonderful, milady! I think the Prince enjoyed it!"

Aoife didn't know what to say, so she said nothing, she just tapped her foot impatiently as Anna finished unlacing her dress and helped in into one of her looser day dresses. Aoife pulled her hair to one side in a messy ponytail and slipped into some tan leather sandals, wiggling her toes now they were free of their previously heeled restraints. Anna was still chattering away behind her but Aoife couldn't concentrate; images of Prince John as she remembered him before were flooding her head along with painful feelings of longing to see the gang again.

"Miss Grattan?" A male courtier said, pulling the privacy curtain back and peering in. "His majesty Prince John has requested your presence in the royal box." And he disappeared again.

"Oh my goodness, milady! The Prince wants to speak to you! You see? I _told_ you he enjoyed your performance!"

Aoife could barely breathe. Suddenly, even her comfortable day dress felt too tight. She stood up so quickly her chair clattered to the floor and Anna jumped in surprise.

"Milady? Aren't you going to see the Prince?"

"No." Aoife said, her eyes wide and searching desperately for the quickest way out. "I – er...I have a headache. I need to go home."

Without saying anything else, Aoife fled their booth and pushed past all of the other performers until she took in a breath of fresh air outside – away from the performers, the crowd and the Prince.

A carriage was waiting for her (they had been supplied for all of the performers) but Aoife walked back to her London home, relishing how she could become lost in the bustle of the city streets. Since the gang had left, Aoife had felt lost and cut adrift. She didn't want to spend time with anyone but she also felt desperately lonely. During her time away, she had received several letters from her father, who was still at their home in Nottingham, assuring her that he was well and filling her in on any local news he thought she might be interested in. Although he never said it, Aoife knew that he had his suspicions about why his daughter had found it so hard to stay in Nottingham when Robin and his gang had left for the Holy Land. Her father knew almost everything about her. _Almost._ He had never found out about his daughter and the Prince; Aoife had never told anyone and she had no intention of doing so now.

After all, that was long over and so was the performance now. She never had to be near him again.

* * *

><p>The London house was empty except for the one cook and his son who she could hear clattering about in the kitchen but they never bothered her. Normally, she would be glad of the solitude, but this loneliness was starting to ache and she had the overwhelming urge to sit with them in the kitchen and ask them about themselves, their jobs, their family, their lives.<p>

She didn't.

Instead, she retreated into the study where she wrote most of her music and found two letters on her desk; one from her mother who was currently working in Manchester with a group of young dancers and one from her father in Nottingham. She opened her father's first because her mother's letters usually went on for pages and pages and she nearly fell off the table she resting on. At the end of the letter, her father written, as a sort of casual after-note,

"_...oh and I saw Robin today. It seems his trip in the Holy Land was successful though he mentioned that Lady Marian had been injured. Do not fear for her though, my dear! Robin informed me that she is healing well and hiding out in Sherwood with the rest of his friends. Much was with him and he asked after you in a way he thought was nonchalant. It wasn't._

_So please tell me you'll come home now, dear-heart."_

For the first time in months, Aoife laughed. Yes, it seemed her father knew her very well. And who had she been trying to fool? London wasn't her home anymore, Nottingham was. Sure, she missed London when she was away, but she had never missed anything like she missed Nottingham.

She tucked her mother's letter in her pocket to read on the journey and almost skipped up the stairs. She needed to pack and quickly. Home was calling to her...and so were her friends.

* * *

><p><em>Yay! They'll all be reunited soon! And no, I didn't stick to canon with Marian...I just though killing her off kind of killed the whole show! So yeah, this'll be RobinMarian all the way!_

_Please review!_


End file.
